1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for automatically controlling an image pick-up position of an object. The method and apparatus according to the present invention are used for an automatic control of the direction of a camera placed on a camera rotation table as an image picking-up device used in a television conference system, in the camera direction presetting manner.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In a television conference system, the transmission of images is carried out by transmitting the image of the entire scene of a conference room, and by transmitting images of the faces of individuals participating in the television conference.
One method of transmitting the image of the face of an individual is to preregister the positions of the persons on whom a pick-up camera is to be focused, to assign an identification number to each of the preset positions, and to direct the pick-up camera by designating one of the identification numbers for directing the pick-up camera to the person to whom the pick-up camera is to be directed. This method is called the preset system.
In the preset system, often the person does not sit exactly in the registered position but sits at a position slightly away from the registered position. In this case, if a fine control of the direction of the pick-up camera can be made by an operation of a remote control device, but a problem arises in that such a fine control of the direction of the pick-up camera is time-consuming and troublesome, and accordingly, an efficient operation of the picking-up and the transmission of images during a television conference system is impossible.